An unusual case of highly false-positive breath-alcohol test in a motor vehicle driver

Abstract

Breath-alcohol measuring is considered to be the most common and most widely used procedure during police driven roadside traffic stops of suspected drunk drivers. In spite of significant advances in technology and legal structure, significant challenges still remain to be solved. Positive breath alcohol concentrations despite abstinence while driving have been reported after exposure to a variety of alcohol-containing substances or endogenous breath volatile. The article describes an unusual case of highly false-positive breath alcohol test in a motor vehicle driver caused by environmental exposure of the subject to alcohol vapour. After police investigation, it was concluded that the driver was carrying refined spirit in the vehicle the day before the roadside control and some part of spirit was spilled in the car while loading the spirit-containing barrels. This case reaffirms, that in order to exclude possible false-positive breath-alcohol analysis due environmental alcohol inhalation, blank sample of air in the motor vehicle (or any confined space) should be obligatory prior to any breath-alcohol analysis. In addition, current literature on the possibilities of false-positive results is reviewed.

Noninvasive real-time breath test for controlling hormonal background of the human body: detection of serotonin and melatonin with quantum point-contact sensors

“…Breath is a biological mixture comprising more than 2000 components [9,10], many of which are highly chemically active. Its complexity can cause false-positive or false-negative results in medical diagnosis based on findings of time-consuming analysis of single markers [11][12][13][14]. A higher reliability of the diagnosis can be achieved by recording data in real-time mode [15].…”

Washout kinetics of ethanol from the airways following inhalation of ethanol vapors and use of mouthwash

“…For example, people sometimes use mouthwash as an explanation for a positive breath test [5]. Other examples of potential confounders are E-cigarette smoking (as the E-liquid may contain ethanol) [6,7], use of alcohol-based hand rubs, disinfectants or cleaners [8][9][10] and, oddly, alcohol spill in the car [11].…”